Coming Home to You
Page 24
Kate was nearly asleep when he got back to their bedroom. He took the sleeping baby from her and put him in the bassinet by the bed, then made her get under the covers.
He turned out the light, stripped to his shorts and climbed into bed. She immediately moved over and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Did you finish the book today?” she asked groggily.
He’d tried repeatedly to read the final manuscript before the book came out, but the letters about Bret had been too difficult for him. Only now, after months of healing, had he been able to manage it.
“I finished while you and the baby were taking your nap this afternoon.”
“And?”
“It’s wonderful, Kate. Reading the early letters, remembering the old days when Bret and I were close, helped me feel better about things.” He kissed the top of her head. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry there was no way to be truthful about the drugs, but I think the rest of it helped a great deal to repair your reputation, don’t you?”
He knew how important it was for her to feel she’d redeemed him in the eyes of the world. “Yes, Katie. The book is everything you promised—and much more.”
She sighed with contentment and nuzzled closer to him. “I’m glad, Jamie,” she mumbled. “I love you so much.” Within moments she drifted back to sleep.
For a long time he lay quietly and held her. He wondered if any man had ever felt this loved or been this lucky. Thanks to Kate and her determination to write this book, James Hayes would be remembered for his music and his talent. A wonderful legacy for a man to have.
Then he thought about the children sleeping down the hall, and the little one in the bassinet nearby. All of them would soon carry the Hayes name. Through them, and the children they produced, Bret Hayes would be remembered, too, as a good father and grandfather.
He smiled in the darkness, realizing he had two legacies—the book for the man he used to be; the children for the man he’d become.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5147-5
COMING HOME TO YOU
Copyright © 2001 by Carmel Thomaston.
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